Human Computer Interaction: The UX of AI

Prompt Engineer, so hot right now! Do you wonder why we need an entire specialization dedicated to communicating with a computer? Does it feel like "it just doesn't get you" when "chatting" with AI tools?

In this session, we'll cover the history of ways humans have communicated with computers. You'll see why "natural language" doesn't seem to translate as you expected. Finally, you'll learn options for creating an interface with AI that doesn't require a special title. Along the way, you'll learn to create trust and reduce hallucinations.

This session is for anyone building AI products where the audience isn't another computer, or for anyone interested in why it's terrible talking to computers and what we can do about it.

Cyborgs are the future: Creating AI products to improve humanity

Robots & AI are going to take your job! At least that’s the dystopian future two-thirds of Americans expect. AI & ML is now amazingly accessible and being applied across a broad spectrum of society. Unfortunately, this technology is often met with uncertainty. Fear of the robots getting it wrong. Fear of being replaced and much more set up a battle for the next century of work. But the future doesn’t have to be this way!

As technologists, it’s our job to show society the benefits of AI and to build digital tools to improve, not replace human activity. I’ll show you how. I’ll outline current perceptions of AI. I’ll share how computers have had my back. I’ll teach you to identify areas where humans fail. Then, I’ll walk through inspiring case studies of systems created to improve people.

Relationship Therapy for Designers & Developers

Hey designers, does your engineer fail to recognize how hard you work pushing pixels? Developers, is your designer making unreasonable demands that your tech stack can’t fulfill? Great news! You can stop ignoring those Figma comments, glaring at each other in meetings, or adding passive-aggressive commit messages. You're not alone! Join this session to hear stories and learn key steps to fix your product partner relationships.

Level up your web game: Chrome Dev Tools cheat codes

Did you know Chrome has a level 99 bug slayer in its inventory? Usage gives a +50 buff against hidden accessibility issues & code gremlins. Plus it protects against poor performance and illuminates reactivity magic. I'll show you how to unlock Dev Tool's magic potions with a side nerdiness.

I'll show you how to unlock the power of Dev Tools features, how to apply them to improve your web project, and best practices around performance & testing. Along the way, we'll nerd out about video games whenever possible.

This is an entry-to-intermediate-level technical talk lasting roughly 45 minutes. Participants should be able to follow along on their own devices so the space will need available wifi.